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STATE ATHLETIC COMMISSION 

Rules and Regulations for the Government of 
Boxing in the State of Minnesota 

Part I. 

Preliminary Provisions and Duties Imposed on 
Clubs 

1. The general offices of the Minnesota 
State Athletic Commission shall be located 
at the office or business place of the Secretary 
in the City of St. Paul, Minnesota. 

2. The offices shall be open between the 
hours of 9 A. M. and 5 P. M. except legal holi- 
days, and Saturdays from 9 A. M. to 1 P. M. 
only. 

3. Blank applications forms for license to 
conduct boxing and sparring matches or exhi- 
bitions, and all other blanks to be used in con- 
nection therewith shall be provided by the 
Commission. 

4. Applications for licenses and accompany- 
ing documents required by law and the rules 
of the Commission shall be written plainly 
and all questions appearing thereon shall be 
answered fully. Said application and all other 
documents required by the Commission from 
any club shall be signed and verified by an 
officer thereof. 



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5. All papers filed with the Commission 
shall be the property of the Commission. 

6. Before acting on the application for a 
license, the Commission may in its discretion, 
examine on oath any officer of the applicant 
and other witnesses. 

7. The form of the license shall be as follows : 

State of Minnesota. 
State Athletic Commission. 

To All Whom It May Concern: — License No 

Whereas due application was made for a 
license in accordance with the terms of Chapter 
363 of Laws of Minnesota for the year 1915, 
and the Rules and Regulations of the State 
Athletic Commission, and the said Commission 
having duly considered the said application 
and ordered the issuance of a license thereon, 
Now Therefore, The State of Minnesota, 
by and through the State Athletic Commission, 
does hereby grant unto: 

a license to conduct, hold or give boxing and 
sparring matches and exhibitions within the 
State of Minnesota in accordance with the 
oro visions of law aforesaid, and subject to such 
Rules and Regulations, and amendments there- 
of, as the State Athletic Commission may from 
time to time prescribe for a period of twelve 
(12) months from the date hereof. 

This license is revokable at the pleasure of 
the Commission. ___* ^_ M «„ -i 



LI WWW OF CONGRESS 

r8:ceiveo 

AUQ181M1 

OOOUMINTA 0IVI9ION 



In Testimony Whereof, the State Athletic 
Commission has caused these presents to be 
signed by its Chairman and Secretary and 

has affixed its seal this day 

of..., ,19 

State Athletic Commission. 

(Commission 

Seal.) By 

Chairman. 



Secretary. 

8. All clubs holding licenses shall be held 
absolutely responsible to the Commission for 
all matches or exhibitions held by said clubs, 
and compliance by them, and each of them, 
with the Rules and Regulations of the Com- 
mission, and the laws of the State of Minnesota. 

9. All clubs must file with the Secretary 
of the Commission a statement, in writing 
and on blanks furnished by the Commission 
at least three days prior to the holding of any 
such contest or exhibition, and such statement 
shall show the name of the club, the place 
or city where such exhibition or contest will 
be held, the name and location of the building 
wherein the same will be held, and the esti- 
mated seating capacity thereof, that such 
building complies with the provisions of Chapter 
363, Laws 1915, the names of the contestants 
and the weights—each contestant respectively 



:W- S * b 



will make, together with such other information 
as the Commission may require. At the same 
time, such club shall pay to the Commissior, 
either in money or by certified check, a fee 
in the sum of One Hundred ($100.00) Dollars 
for each and every exhibition, contest or match, 
(not bout) given by such club. 

Every club, incorporation or association is 
hereby forbidden and prohibited from giving 
any match, exhibition or contest, unless it 
shall have first filed such statement aforesaid, 
and paid such fee, of which fact the receipt 
of the Secretary of compliance herewith shall 
be evidence. 

10. The financial report required by Sec. 8 
of Chapter 363, Laws 1915, shall be made in 
duplicate, one copy shall be transmitted to 
the State Auditor of the State of Minnesota, 
and the other copy shall be filed with the Secre- 
tary of the Commission together with the 
receipt of the State Treasurer, showing the 
payment of such statutory tax. Blank forms 
for the foregoing reports shall be furnished by 
the Commission. 

11. No person shall be admitted to any 
boxing or sparring match or exhibition who is 
under 16 years of age. 

12. No person shall be admitted to a boxing 
or sparring match or exhibition without a ticket. 

13. All tickets issued to the Press shall be 
marked "Press". All complimentary tickets 
fihall be marked "Complimentary." 



The total number of complimentary tickets, 
exclusive of press tickets, shall be limited to 
three (3) per centum of the seating capacity of 
the hall or auditorium wherein the exhibition 
or match is held. 

14. All tickets, exclusive of press and com- 
plimentary tickets, shall have the price plainly 
printed thereon, and shall have a coupon 
attached, which may be held by the purchaser 
thereof. 

15. The price of tickets shall be printed in 
large type and displayed above all ticket sellers' 
windows and shall not be varied. 

16. Every ticket must be deposited by the 
ticket-taker in a locked box, which shall only 
be opened by an officer of the club, corporation 
or association holding the license, and such 
officers shall count the number of each class 
of tickets in such box or boxes, in the presence 
of a representative of the Commission or of 
the State Auditor, and shall also report the 
number of exchange sales and the amount 
received therefor. 

17. The Commission may appoint an official 
representative, who shall receive a card author- 
izing him to act as such. He shall be present 
at all matches or exhibitions to see that the 
Rules and Regulations of the Commission are 
strictly observed, and shall also be present at 
the counting of the gross receipts and tickets 
aforesaid. 



18. One representative from each newspaper 
holding a press ticket, shall be entitled to a 
seat in the row or stand. 

19. Representatives of papers holding press 
tickets shall receive preference in the allotment 
of press seats. 

20. No intoxicating liquors shall be sold or 
allowed in the hall or auditorium where matches 
are being held either before or during the pro- 
gress of such matches or exhibitions, nor shall 
any refreshments drinks of whatever descrip- 
tion, cigars, tobacco, pop-corn or other edibles 
be sold or offered for sale either before or during 
the progress of such matches or exhibitions. 
No smoking shall be permitted either before 
or during the progress of such exhibitions or 
matches. 

21. In all boxing or sparring matches or 
exhibitions, contestants, referee, time-keepers, 
seconds and examining physicians shall at all 
times be under the control and direction of the 
Commission. 

22. No boxing or sparring matches or ex- 
hibitions shall be held on Sunday or Christmas 
or Good Friday. 

23. There shall be prominently displayed in 
at least four (4) places in every hall or audi- 
torium, licensed under the provisions of Chapter 
363, Laws, the following notice and sign: 



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NO BETTING ALLOWED 

Any person making or offering to make a 
bet is guilty of a misdemeanor, and will be 
immediately ejected. 

24. No person shall compete in a boxing 
or sparring match in any club, corporation or 
association, or any other organization not 
licensed in accordance with the provisions of 
Chapter 363, Laws 1915. 

25. No boxing club shall be permitted to 
sell tickets thru boxers, their managers or 
seconds. 

26. No collections, regardless of the pur- 
pose or object, shall be taken up from the 
spectators at boxing exhibitions. 

Penalties for Violations of Preliminary Pro- 
visions and Duties Imposed upon Clubs, Desig- 
nated as "Part I." 

Any club, corporation or association con- 
testant or official violating any of the foregoing 
Rules and Regulations shall be penalized as 
follows : 

(a) In case the violation is committed by 
the club, corporation or association, it shall 
in the discretion of the Commission, thereby 
forfeit its license issued in accordance with the 
provisions of law, which license shall there- 
upon be by the Commission cancelled and 
declared void. 

(b) In case the violation is committed by 

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any contestant or any official, he shall, in the 
discretion of the Commission,, be restrained 
from participating in any boxing competition 
to be held or given in the State of Minnesota 
for a period of not more than six months and 
not less than thirty days, and in case the offen- 
der be an official, he may be restrained from 
entering any club, corporation or association 
licensed hereunder for a like period. 



Part II. 
Rules Governing the Contest 

1, The boxing ring shall not be less than 
16 feet nor more than 24 feet square. The 
floor of the ring shall extend beyond the lower 
rope for a distance of not less than three feet. 
Posts rrtust be properly padded, and the ring 
floor padded with felt or other soft material 
not less than one inch in thickness, under a 
proper covering. 

2. The scale of weights shall be: 

Paperweight 108 lbs. 

Bantamweight................ , .....115 lbs. 

Featherweight.... 125 lbs. 

Lightweight.,.. , 135 lbs. 

Welterweight ,...., „ 145 lbs. 

Middleweight ,.,..,, 158 lbs. 

Commission 175 

Heavy , .....All over 

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3. The chief official of the boxing match 
or exhibition shall be the referee. 

4: The referee shall be appointed by the 
Commission, and shall receive from the Com- 
mission a card authorizing him to act as such 
referee, and no club shall employ or permit 
anyone to act as referee excepting those holding 
such card of authorization from the Commission. 

5. The referee shall have general super- 
vision and control over the match or exhibition, 
and s^hall take his position within the ring. 

6. No decision shall be rendered by the 
referee. A decision may be given in amateur 
tournaments pursuant to the authority and 
jurisdiction of the Amateur Athletic Union 

7. The referee shall, before starting the 
match or exhibition, ascertain from each con- 
testant the name of his chief second, and shall 
hold said chief second responsible for the con- 
duct of the other seconds during the progress 
of the contest, and shall, prior to the contest, 
instruct the contestants concerning the Com- 
mission rules. 

8. Contestants must box in proper athletic 
costume, including protection cup. 

9. Contestants may learn the name of the 
official referee of the club before whom they 
are to compete, by application to the Secretary 
of the Commission. If said contestants are 
not satisfied with the official referee they must 
notify the Secretary of the Commission in 



writing, forty-eight hours prior to the match or 
exhibition, and in case of failure to do so, they 
must submit to the jurisdiction of the club 
referee. 

10. All matches or exhibitions in which more 
than two principals appear in the ring at the 
same time, commonly called a "battle royal" 
exhibition are forbidden. 

11. No two same men shall box or spar 
more than ten rounds in the same ring on the 
same day. 

12. All clubs and contestants must enter 
into written contracts, which contracts shall 
be executed in duplicate each party holding one. 

13. Clubs must not willfully violate or 
break contracts properly consumated between 
boxer and club. 

14. Boxers or contestants must not wilfully 
violate or break contracts consummated between 
boxer and club. 

15. In all matches or exhibitions not more 
than three seconds shall attend or assist a 
contestant, and the official referee shall en- 
force said rule. 

16. There shall be no coaching by the 
seconds or any other person, and the seconds 
must remain seated during contest, and must 
not rise from their seats until the bell announces 
the termination of the round. 

17. The contestants in all exhibitions shall 

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weigh in not later than 3 o'clock of the day of 
the match in the presence of a representative 
of the Commission, club representative and 
Commission physician, who will make physical 
examination of contestants at that time. This 
rule must be observed regardless of private 
agreement concerning match. 

18. Chief or main match or exhibition shall 
commence not later than ten P. M. The club 
must select from the various contests, the chief 
or main match or exhibition. 

19. The kidney punch or blow shall be 
forbidden in all contests. 

20. Contestants shall break clean and must 
not strike a blow while breaking from clinches. 
Contestants must not hold and hit. Butting 
with head or shoulder, wrestling or clinching, 
or illegal use of elbows shall not be allowed. 
There shall be no unsportsmanlike conduct on 
the part of the contestants. This shall include 
the use of abusive or insulting language. 

21. The referee must stop the contest when 
either contestant shows marked superiority, or 
is apparently out- classed. If contestant falls 
thru weakness or is knocked down, he must 
get up unassisted, ten seconds being allowed 
him to do so, the other man in the meantime 
must return to his corner. 

22. Each glove shall weigh not less than 
five ounces for contestants from one hundred 
and forty pounds to one hundred and seventy- 

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five p3imds, and not less than eight ounces 
for contestants over one hundred and seventy 
five pounds. No gloves shall be used except 
those handed to the contestants by the referee. 
The gloves must not e twisted or in any way 
manipulated. In case a glove shall break or 
come off during the contest, the referee shall 
order time taken out while a new glove is 
being adjusted. 

23. Only soft cotton or linen bandages 
shall be used, and all bandages shall be subject 
to the approval of the referee. Hard bandage;, 
or substances of any kind, being prohibited. 

24. The length of the match or exhibition 
shall be not more than ten rounds. Each 
round shall be limited to a three minute period. 
There shall be one minute intermission between 
each two rounds. 

25. No person under eighteen or over forty 
years of age shall be permitted to participate 
in any contest or exhibition. 

26. Each contestant shall be examined prior 
to entering the ring, by a physician who has 
been licensed to practice in the State of Minne- 
sota for not less than five years. The physician 
shall be in attendance during contest, prepared 
to deal with any emergency wMch may arise. 
Said physician shall file said report of examina- ' 
tion with the Commission within a period of 
twenty-four hours after the contest. Blank 
forms of physician's reports may be had at 
the Commission's office, and all questions must 
be answered in full. 

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27. No person other than the contestants 
and the referee shall, during the progress of 
the contest, enter the ring. 

28. If a main match or exhibition is stopped 
by the referee, or by a member of the State 
Athletic Commission, or the Secretary of the 
Commission, if no member thereof is present, 
for an infraction of the rules of the Commission 
or for a violation of the provisions of Chapter 
363 of the Laws of 1915, the club shall hold all 
box office receipts of the said match or exhibi- 
tion for a period of forty-eight hours, pending 
the decision of the Commission. 

29. No boxer shall be permitted to contest 
against an opponent ten pounds heavier than 
himself in the lightweight class or under said 
class. 

30. Any question arising, not provided for 
in these rules, the referee shall have power to 
decide su h question or interpretation of rules. 

31. All persons attending a sparring match 
or exhibition shall behave in a gentlemanly and 
sportsmanlike manner. 

32. No officer or stockholder of any club, 
corporation or association shall officiate in any 
capacity at any boxing or sparring match or 
exhibition or interfere in any way with the 
contestants. 

33. Contests between negroes and white 
persons, otherwise known as mixed bouts, are 
strictly prohibited. 

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34. All boxers shall be required to weigh 
in in ring costume, or in clothing weighing not 
more than ring costume and the weights of 
the contestants shall be announced at the 
ringside. 

35. Unless the Commission shall have been 
informed of the name of the club's referee as 
provided by Rule 9 or at least 48 hours prior 
to an exhibition, the Commission will assume 
the right to appoint a referee for such exhibition 
or contest. 

36. Any boxer under contract or agreement 
with a club to appear or compete, who discovers 
that it is impossible for any reason whatsoever 
to appear or compete, shall immediately notify 
the club, and such club shall immediately post 
notice to that effect over the box office win- 
dows, and shall give notice of the same thru 
the public press, where practicable. 

37. In case of a substitution, the substituting 
boxer must satisfy the examining physician 
that he is physically fit to engage in a contest, 
or he will not be allowed to box. 

38. The examination givsn boxers must be 
as follows: Temperature, pulse (sitting and 
standing), lungs, heart, blood pressure, urine 
analysis (when deemed necessary) and the " 
examining physician shall report specifically his 
findings on each of these for each boxer. Boxers 
failing to appear for weighing and examination 
at three o'clock, as provided by Rule 17, Part 
II hereof, must be reported to the Commission. 

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39. All introductions in the ring except of 
the contestants themselves, are hereby pro- 
hibited. 

40. If any case occurs which is not, or which 
is alleged not to be provided for by these rules 
and Regulations, or Chapter 363, Laws 1915, 
it shall be determined by the members of the 
State Athletic Commission in such manner as 
they think best and just and conformable to 
the usage and the best interests of boxing. 



PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS OF RULES 

GOVERNING CONTESTS, DESIGNATED AS 

"PART II" 

Any club, corporation, association, contestant 
or official violating any of the foregoing rules 
and regulations shall be penalized as follows: 

(a) In case the violation is committed by 
the club, corporation, or association, it shall, 
in the discretion of the Commission thereby 
forfeit its license issued in accordance with the 
provisions of law which license shall thereupon 
be by the Commission cancelled and declared 
void. 

(b) In case the violation is committed by 
any contestant or any official, he shall in the 
discretion of the Commission, be restrained 
from participating in any boxing competition 

to be held or given in the State of Minnesota 

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for a period of not more than six months and 
not less than thirty days, and in case the offender 
be an official, he may be restrained from en- 
tering any club, corporation or association 
licensed hereunder for a like period. 

In case there be any violation of law, as 
provided by Chapter 363, Laws 1915, the 
penalty shall be as therein provided. 



AMENDMENTS. 

Any Club authorized by the Commission to 
engage in a boxing contest is not allowed to pay 
a boxer or contestant before he enters the ring 
and is not allowed to pay the boxer or contestant 
after the contest until payment has been 
approved by a Commissioner who witnessed the 
contest. 

If a boxer refuses to enter the ring unless 
he is paid in advance the money is to be turned 
over to a Commissioner, who is to hold same in 
trust until after the contest. In case the boxer 
refuses to enter the ring unless he is paid in 
advance or refuses to allow the Commissioner 
to hold his payment until after the contest he 
is automatically barred from boxing in the state. 

The boxers or contestants who engage in the 
main bout are to post a forfeit for appearance at 
least three days before the contest. 

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Failure on the part of the Club to pay the 
$100.00 license fee to the Commission within 
forty-eight hours after the bout automatically 
cancels their license. 

The Club shall pay a fee of $100.00 to the 
Commission for each show but no more than 
in one year. 



Any Commissioner attending a boxing match 
other than in his own city is entitled to $15.00 
and as much more as his expenses amount to, 
this amount to be paid out of the Commission 
funds. 

Any additional help other than the Secretary, 
needed in protecting the percentage of the state, 
is chargeable to the Club under which the boxing 
contest is held. 

Minnesota State Boxing Commission 

Frank B. Thompson, St. Paul, 
Robert J. Seiberlich, Minneapolis, 
Henrv Ribenack, Duluth. 



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